Fingerprint pads come in two varieties: the ceramic ink pads and the Porelon ink pads.
 
The kind of ink pad that is found in a stationary shop is not suited for fingerprints. The weave of the fabric that is used for these pads will be visible in the fingerprint.
 
The ceramic inkpads are made of a ceramic material in a plastic housing and use an (almost) colorless ink. The prints obtained with these pads are of excellent quality. The A-25615 sized pad is often used instead of a glass plate with fingerprint ink.
 
No special paper is needed, as they work with ordinary paper. The light-colored ink can easily be wiped off the fingers or washed off with water and soap. The smaller sizes are ideally suited for taking elimination prints.
 
The non-ceramic inkpads use a Porelon-pad. A Porelon pad is made of a kind of porous plastic that is saturated with an ink solution. The ink from a Porelon pad is less easily wiped off than the ink from a ceramic pad but still more easily cleaned off than fingerprint ink.

A reactangular ink pad that is suitable for taking prints from suspects, instead of using fingerprint ink on a glass slab.
Outside dimensions are approximately 125 x 90 mm, the usable area of the ink pad is 105 x 75 mm.

Instant BVDA fingerprint pad. The rectangular Porelon pre-inked pad (5 x 10 cm) has a light-weight polypropylene housing.
The lid (coated steel) closes magnetically to ensure dust-proof storage.

Ceramic fingerprint ink pad, round. The ceramic pad itself has a 59 mm diameter.

Ceramic fingerprint ink pad, round. The ceramic pad itself has a 33 mm diameter.

Instant fingerprint pad, round. The Porelon ink pad itself has a diameter of 42 mm.

A small reactangular ink pad that is suitable for taking elimination prints.
Outside dimensions are approximately 57 x 45 mm, the usable area of the ink pad is 45 x 35 mm.